Phtalates

BLACKLISTED

What is it?

Phthalates are a group of diesters of phthalic acid and have been widely used by the industry as plasticisers, giving flexibility and durability to plastics.

Main Benefits:

Lubricant, emulsifier in skincare products.

More Information:

You can find these in products such as nail polish, moisturizers, shampoos, hair sprays, toys, detergents, and other variety of products.  Phthalates  can migrate into the air, skin, water, food and the environment. The omnipresence of phthalates results in human exposure via multiple pathways such as dermal, oral and inhalation for prolonged periods. They were shown to damage the liver, kidneys, lungs and reproductive systems in animal studies. The American Academy of Pediatrics has published an article stating that infants exposed to infant care products, specifically baby shampoos, baby lotions, and baby powder, showed increased levels of phthalate metabolites in their urine. While overall use of phtalates in personal care products is decreasing, they are still widely used in fragrances (and this is one of the reasons we don’t add fragrances to our products). . At the present time, FDA does not have conclusive evidence that phthalates as used in cosmetics pose a safety risk.

Scientific reference:

Risk assessment of phthalates based on aggregated exposure from foods and personal care products and comparison with biomonitoring data. EFSA J. , 2020 Nov 26;18

Masahiro Sugino et al.  Safety evaluation of dermal exposure to phthalates: Metabolism-dependent percutaneous absorption. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol, 2017 Aug 1;328:10-17

https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/phthalates